Users of trash and leaf bags constantly confront a recurring problem of maintaining the end of the bag in an open position while at the same time guiding debris and trash into the bag. This problem is especially acute when using plastic bags, as these bags have virtually no rigidity and are not self-supporting.
A common situation where a person experiences difficulty in simultaneously maintaining the bag in an open position and locating debris in it arises when raking leaves. A user rakes leaves from his lawn into one or more piles, with the intent of putting them into a trash bag for disposal.
The user places a trash bag adjacent the pile of leaves, and then fills the bag with the leaves. This process is very difficult, however, because the sidewall of the otherwise open end of the bag closes upon itself, preventing the user from getting the leaves into the bag. Thus, the user must either hold the bag open with one hand and then attempt to rake or scoop the leaves into the bag with his other hand, or grasp leaves with both hands and then force the leaves through the collapsed end of the bag.
When the user attempts to hold the bag open and rake or push the leaves into the bag, he encounters a second problem. The problem is that the bottom and sides do not remain in a fixed position, so that when he presses the leaves inwardly towards the bag, the bag deforms and many of the leaves never make it into the bag, but instead fall on the ground outside the bag sidewall.
In other instances, the user of a bag must maintain the bag in an open position when it is partially full and resting in an upright position on its closed bottom end. In the situation where the bag is partially full, the bag cannot be placed on its side or the contents spill out as fast as the user attempts to put additional material in. Thus, when a user attempts to fill the top portion of the bag, he must maintain the bag in an open and upright position while at the same time moving the debris and trash into the bag.
A need exists for a device which maintains a bag in a fixed, open position and aids a user in guiding debris and trash into the open bag.